Kazuo Hirashima
Managing Director, Healthy Eating Habits Association

Introduction

It is said that about 80% of human information is obtained visually.  People with visual impairments, therefor have difficulty in obtaining information and have great deal of difficulty in their daily lives. Under these circumstances, the SUKOYAKA(Healthy) Dietary Association (henceforth referred to as the Association) continuously provides people with visual impairments with knowledge and information regarding food that is important for maintaining health and living. This organization continues activities to support independence and social participation of people with visual impairments concerning healthy eating habits.

In addition, as Japan's aging population continues to progress, the idea of ​​improving the eating habits of people with visual impairments and supporting their independence will also lead to support for the elderly who are aging, and their physical functions have declined. We are also focusing on dietary education activities for the visually impaired and the elderly in collaboration with food companies and other organizations.

1. Organization of the Association for Improvement of Eating Habits for the Visually Impaired

Everyone wishes to lead a healthy and active life, and we want to support them so that they can achieve this. Moreover, food is the foundation of human existence and the starting point for the formation of a healthy mind and body, so it is said, eating is the basis of life and the basis of life is eating.

Our association was established in 1984 as the Association for Improving the Eating Habits of People with Visual Impairments. Mr. Tsuneo Tsutsumi, the founder of the association, once worked as an administrative officer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and was in charge of the Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS) system and food consumption awareness activities, but after retiring, he developed Retinitis Pigmentosa and became blind in his mid-50s.

Eventually, Mr. Tsutsumi studied Braille at a Braille library and met many people who became blind in much the same way he did. Although there was relatively general information regarding people with visual impairments, he realized that there was a lack of information pertaining to food, which is one of the most important things in the lives of people. So, we provide information on eating habits to the visually impaired, make proposals for improving eating environments, as well as promote overall health, while tackling the problem of independence of people with visual impairments.

Therefore, the Association for the Improvement of Eating Habits for People with Visual Impairments was established in 1984 with the cooperation of many people who resonated with Mr. Tsutsumi’s strong will by calling for financial and business cooperation from companies and organizations in various industries.

2. Contents of Main activities

(1) Production and Distribution of Monthly Voice Dietary Information

We have produced a monthly recording called Voice Dietary Information which contains knowledge and information about eating habits for the visually impaired. If desired, this can be sent free of charge in the form of cassette tapes or daisy-compatible compact discs (CDs) nationwide to about 1,500 places such as Braille libraries, schools for the blind, support facilities for the blind, social welfare councils, and individuals with visual impairments.

The monthly edition of Voice Dietary Information has been produced every month for 35 years since the association was established and has already exceeded 430 times in total. Every time a wide variety of information such as news and topics related to the latest dietary habits, food nutrition and health, cooking using seasonal ingredients, traditional food culture, food and information on eating out, etc., are read in an accurate and easy-to-understand manner and edited into a 60-minute program by volunteers and staff in charge.

The produced 60-minute audio program will be dubbed into tape or CD form and mailed nationwide. When finished listening, one can flip the invoice on the case containing the tape or CD and send it back to us. We continue to receive the cooperation of many volunteers in the work of rerecording the programs with new content for the next month on the returned tapes and CDs and shipping them again nationwide.

Also, in order to widely recognize the activities of our association, an audio of Voice Dietary Information is provided on our website. Furthermore, from April 2019, one can use the voice data service even with the Sapie Library.

Many listeners every month from all over the country have expressed their gratitude by saying such things as "I am grateful for the information that is useful for my eating habits," and "I am looking forward to receiving the CD every month," as well as "It is useful for making daily meals."

In addition, we have also created CDs featuring special dishes such as "Let's make pasta together,’ "Delicious food that goes well with bread,” and "Let's make home bread together.” These are provided to those who want them.

(2) Creating a Cooking Recipe Book for the Visually Impaired

As a practical guide for people with visual impairments to become independent and have better eating habits, we have created large print recipe books with transparent Braille and voice codes. These are then distributed, free of charge, to the visually impaired and Braille libraries nationwide. They are also used in classes at schools for the blind.

Imposed on copies of at least 19-point large print is transparent Braille while also attaching a barcode (a round notch is made next to that part of the page to indicate the position of the barcode), when a special reader is held over the barcode, the reader reads the text on that page.

Recently, we have created and distributed “teaching healthy home cooking,” “Easy cooking with a microwave oven,” and “Easy rice, bread, and noodle dishes.” In addition, we have also created and distributed a card-type recipe collection called “Minna de Meat Cooking（Let's cook a meat dish together）” that can be used one-card-at-a-time.

(3) Holding Cooking Classes for the Visually Impaired and the Elderly

In order to maintain the health of the elderly, it is said that it is desirable to make a habit of eating a variety of foods that include animal products, fats and oils. For this reason, cooking classes are held about 10 times a year for the visually impaired and the elderly to practice cooking a variety of dishes using meats and dairy products.

(4) Holding Food Education Workshops for Seniors

In a super-aging society, lectures are given by experts on nutritional intake and discussions on how to   improve measures based on the experiences of participants are held. This is so the elderly can lead an independent life where they can participate in society while maintaining health and longevity for as long as possible.

In addition, with the cooperation of restaurants, etc., food education workshops are being held that combines a learning session on desirable dietary intake for seniors with a well-balanced tasting session.

Also, as a guide for seniors to work on healthy longevity, an easy-to-read color booklet called Senior Generation: Recommendations for Dietary Habits for Healthy Longevity was made and distributed to relevant parties.

3. Future Efforts

In Japan, where the elderly, aged 65 and over, account for 28.7% of the total population is the world's most super-aging society. As the population ages, extending healthy life expectancy through “diet” and living a healthy and independent life, the role of the Association should play in aiming for this will become even greater in the future.

Under these circumstances, we would like to promote the project related to barriers-free and food education, and provide knowledge and information on eating habits to the visually impaired and the elderly, as well as their eating environment. This is based on the results of conventional activities with the understanding of everyone who supports us on a daily basis.

Photo 1 Monthly Voice Dietary Information    Photo 2 Volunteers who support the activities of the association